Quick Facts
Biography
Smile Vojdanov (Macedonian: Смиле Војданов, originally spelled in older Bulgarian ortography: Смиле Войдановъ; (February 1, 1872 – March 4, 1958) was a Bulgarian and Macedonian revolutionary, member and voivode of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization, and longtime activist in the Macedonian People's League in emigration.
Early life
Vojdanov was born in Laktinje, a village near the city of Ohrid. He studied in Ohrid, as well as at the Kicevo monastery, "Most Pure Virgin Mary" (where he remained until 1890). In 1892 he worked as a teacher in his native village, and later (1894-1897) as a padrone in Slivovo. The following year he worked as a teacher there where Hristo Uzunov and Metodi Patchev introduced Smile Vojdanov to VMRO.
Career
In 1901, Vojdanov began forming committees of the organization. In July 1902, he entered Dejan Dimitrov's group, which operated in the area of Malesija. During the Ilinden Uprising, Vojdanov and his group were active in the area of Gorna Debarca. After the uprising was suppressed, together with Hristo Uzunov, he met Dame Gruev and Gjorgi Sugarev in Smilevo when Vojdanov headed to Bulgaria. In March 1905 he entered Macedonia with his group and Alexander Protogerov, Dimitrov and Tase Hristov.
During the Balkan Wars, he served with the Macedonian-Adrianople group of volunteers in Bulgarian army. After the war, Petar Chaulev and Vojdanov, together with 189 rebels, returned to their revolutionary activities in Ohrid (now against the new Serbian government).
After World War I, Vojdanov immigrated to America and settled in Pontiac, Michigan, where he developed a small business. He joined the Management Committee of the newspaper People's Will.
In 1931 he became chairman of the Central Committee of the Macedonian People's League. In 1933 the United States created a special "Committee to Protect Macedonian rights and freedoms", chaired by the writer Stoyan Christowe. The Committee raised the slogan to unite all Bulgarians in America. to struggle for the liberation of Macedonia. This Committee sent a special delegation that consisted of Voydanov, Edward Haskell and Bishop D. Smith, who visited Athens and Belgrade. There he protested the persecution of Bulgarians who remained after World War within Greece and Yugoslavia. During his stay in Sofia the three publicly expressed their dissatisfaction in connection with political killings of leftist political leaders. After the outbreak of World War II he joined the American Slavic Committee, an association of Americans of Slavic origin for protection and promotion of the Slavic population in a military Europe.
Personal life
Smile Vojdanov died in Pontiac on March 4, 1958.